


I am Home

by HistoryNerd2



Series: The Newsies Family [1]
Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: M/M, Sick Character, Trans Male Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-20
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-17 20:54:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28855413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HistoryNerd2/pseuds/HistoryNerd2
Summary: Racetrack gets sick and it all goes downhill from there. Secrets are uncovered and questions asked. Chaos ensues.Rated T for possible language.
Relationships: David Jacobs & Original Character(s), David Jacobs/Jack Kelly, Jack Kelly & Original Character(s), Racetrack Higgins & David Jacobs, Racetrack Higgins & Jack Kelly, Spot Conlon & Original Character(s), Spot Conlon/Racetrack Higgins
Series: The Newsies Family [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2115984
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter One

All the newsies were getting ready for the day ahead of us. It was late November, and it had already gotten icy. It was even expected to snow in the coming days and while it would be fun for a day or two it would get old very quick as it would make it even harder to sell papes. Not only is it harder to sell papers, but it brings sickness. Disease usually starts spreading at the beginning of December and ends in March. It spreads like a wildfire with no end. It puts everyone on high alert. Looking for any signs of illness. 

So, when Racetrack started coughing continuously, we all knew we were in for a long winter. "Hey, Racetrack you good?" Jack called through the room as he walked over to where Race was getting ready for the day. "Ya, I's fine." Race rasped out. Wairing an expression that said, ' I'm positive that you are lying. ' Jack called out to the room to clear out and that we should head out to the square. "Wait Elliot you stay here." "Sure, what do you need?" After a brief discussion, he was sent to get Davey and Spot Colin. 

At this point, Davey should either be at the distribution window or his selling spot. The distribution window being closer, he decided to head over there first. When he got to the distribution center, he saw Davey and Les talking near the gates. As he walked over Davey spotted Elliot and waved him over. "Hey, Davey. Hey, Kid," " Hello, Elliot." "I am not a kid, also we are the same age!" "I am two years old than you Squirt." "Whatever," Les mumbled crossing his arms and looking at the ground. So, Davey, Jack ..." After filling Davey in he and Les heard back to the Lodging house while Elliot ran off to find Spot. 

Finding Spot was going to take longer because not only is Brooklyn a decent distance away but because Spot could be anywhere in that area. Jogging so to get there quicker as he still needs to sell papers after this. 

Being one of the younger kids Elliot didn't go to Brooklyn often and had only been there twice before. Figuring that the best place to look was the dock. 

Luckily for him, Spot Colin had not headed out yet so a Brooklyn newsie could quickly lead him to Spot. 

"Spot, there's someone here to see you." "Okay, send em' in." Walking in Elliot got nervous because this was the first time, he had been in Brooklyn alone, and meeting their leader was just stressful. Still breathing hard from the jog, he stated, "Hello, um Jack sent me to inform you that Racetrack has become sick and he thought you would like to know." When given this news a flash of worry crossed his face before hardening his expression. "Thanks, do you know how sick or have any other information." "No, we do not. We just found out he was sick this morning." Spot gazed intently at Elliot, scanning him up and down. 

"Did you run here?" "Yes." "Okay, well I'm coming back with you to Manhattan." Walking off to inform his second in command, Hotshot, that he would be gone. Elliot using this time to catch his breath before they headed back to Manhattan. 

* * *

**Meanwhile...**

"Jack we're here." "Ah good Davey you're here," Jack said climbing down the stairs. Then glancing up noticed that Les was standing behind Davey. "What are you doing here Squirt?" Glaring at Davey, Les stated that, "Davey thinks that I's too young to sell by myself so he wants me to stay here since there was nobody left at the distribution window." "Well, you only started selling papes a few months ago," Jack said, calmly crouching down to Les's height. "When did the other newsies start to sell papes by themselves? Elliot isn't much older than me and he sells by himself and crosses into other sections of the city as a messenger all the time!" "Elliot is still two years older than you and has been selling alone for years." "When did he start selling alone and how long after joined?" Jack made eye-contact with Davey, not wanting to lie to the kid but knowing that answering would not help their case. "Well," Les said, tapping his foot on the ground and crossing his arms. 

Looking back at Les, "Elliot started selling alone when he was ten and that was after three weeks of being a newsie full-time. 

"See Davey, you should let me sell by myself." He stated with a whining tone, turning to his brother. 

"The answers no, Les. I'm sorry." 

Standing up Jack motioned for them to follow him up the stairs. Quietly Jack whispered to David that he might be able to take Les out to sell papers later. Back to the task at hand, with Davey starting a light soup and Jack checking on Racetrack. 

* * *

**Twenty Minutes Later...**

When Spot and Elliot finally arrived at the Lodging House it was silent except for the distant clanging of kitchenware. Going to the kitchen they saw Davey making what was assumed to be soup and Les sitting at the table looking bored. "Where's Race?" Spot asked, looking around. "In the bedroom. Elliot can show you." Leading Spot to where Race was and Spot getting settled at the seat next to the bed, Jack and Elliot exited the room, to give them privacy. 

Once they left the room Jack started talking "I think these two have it handled and I told Davey that I would take Les out to sell papes, do you want to tag along?" "Sure" "Good, then let's head out," Jack said with a small bounce in his step; walking off to go get said child. After everyone was ready they set out to the distribution center. 

While walking; or running in Les's case, Jack and Elliot talked. "So, something Les said earlier got me thinking." "Oh no." "Ha-ha very funny. No, I am serious, he wanted to know when you joined the newsies." Now Elliot was looking at him, with fear etched onto his features. "And what did you tell him?" "I told him that you joined when you were ten and that you started selling alone after just three weeks. This is the first time I realized just how quickly you were let off on your own." "Your point being..." "Nothin' just surprised how young you were when you started even though you acted like an adult and had more wisdom than some of them." "Thanks." "No problem," Jack said, watching as Elliot relaxed and drew him into a side hug. 

"Now let's go sell some papes!" Elliot practically yelled. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you like it. Sorry, if it is short, please tell me if I should make the next chapter longer. Let me know what you thought. Please comment and leave kudos!  
> Have a good day/night!  
> Em


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack, Les, and Elliot are selling papers, seems simple enough, right?

Elliot, Jack, and Les all got fifty papers since they could now return what they did not sell and headed out to Jack’s normal selling spot. It was decently late to start selling, as it was around 10:30 but considering the time they did pretty good. Les took up the strategy of acting sick and getting pity from the adults and Jack and Elliot yelling out very exaggerated or straight-out fake headlines. By lunch, Les had almost sold out, with the others not far behind. As they headed to lunch, meeting with other newsies on the way so that by the time they made it to Jacobi’s they had formed one big group.

After they ate, they took food to the guys back at the lodge and got the evening post. This time they each bought 100 papes, hoping to make up for their missing friends. “You still going to sell with us, Elle?” Les asked, skipping a few feet ahead. How that kid had so much energy, no one knew but it refreshing to have such a happy, joyful, energetic kid around. “Ya, Jack’s got a good selling spot and you ain’t a bad seller yerself so if all else fails I can figure out a way to get your cute baby face to help me sell.” “Hey!”

They headed back to the selling spot and got back to work. About three hours later Jack started talking to a few other newsies about something that the other two could not hear.

* * *

**Elliot’s P.O.V.**

I was just finishing up selling a paper to a nice old woman who gave me a nickel when my breath hitched, and I broke into a coughing fit. It was hard to breathe and the bandages around my chest were not helping. Making my way over to a nearby alleyway and leaned against the wall to keep myself standing. Hiding behind boxes in the alleyway so I was not visible to the people on the street I unbuttoned my shirt and was trying to get my suspenders and undershirt off when I saw Jack coming towards me.

Still coughing, I stopped trying to unwrap my chest (I still hadn’t even got to the bandages, I still had suspenders and an undershirt on) and straightened up, trying to pass it as if I were not in the middle of a coughing fit.

Rubbing my back until it subsided, I leaned into Jack’s side as he lowered us down until we were sitting on the ground.

“You good?”

“Yes, I’m fine,” I spoke knowing that Jack would see right through that, but unable to come up with a way to play it off as something else.

“Ya, right,” he said sarcastically “because people normally breaking into a coughing mess for no reason at all.” I didn’t respond. To be honest, I have a headache and was sore, but it wasn’t like I was going to tell him that.

Suddenly there is a cold hand on my forehead, and I hear Jack sighing next to me.

“You’ve got a fever, lets just get you back to the lodge so you can rest.” Though very inclined to take that offer and just sleep the day away, I had a job that needed doing and papers to sell. I could not afford to lose a day’s pay, not to mention the boys we were making up for who stayed back at the lodge.

“I can’t Jack, you know that and it’s not like I am that sick anyway.”

I go to stand up and walk away but a hand on my shoulder keeps me in place. “Me and the rest of us can cover for you, you need sleep and some food.” “Seriously Jack, _I am fine_ , now let’s get back to selling.” “Nope, not going to happen we are going back to the lodge whether you like it or not even though you clearly don’t.” “I-fine let’s go find Les and make sure he hasn’t gotten himself into trouble.”

* * *

**Back at the Lodge…**

* * *

**3 rd Person Point of View**

“We’re back,” Jack called through the lodge once they got back, bringing Elliot, who had an arm over Jack’s shoulder even though Jack was a good few inches taller than him, towards the stairs that led to the bunk room.

Davey came out of the bunkroom just as Jack, Elliot, and Les made it to the top of the stairs. “What happened, are you guys okay?!” He exclaimed as he saw us, the smile quickly vanishing off his face. As he rushed over to the other side of Elliot. “He has a fever.” “I’s fine, nothing’s wrong, Jack's just overreacting.” Jack just sighed ad shook his head continuing to help Elliot to his bed. “Hey Les, can you go downstairs and grab a bowl of warm soup?” Davey said looking over his shoulder towards Les who was still standing in the doorway.

As soon as Jack let go of Elliot, he bolted for the door as quickly as possible, only to run into Spot who had come back from who knows where. “Woah, careful kid, what’s wrong? Why you runnin’?” “Eliot get your butt back in bed. Now.” Ignoring them, he tried to dodge around Spot only to find that he had a strong grip on Elliot’s arms. Giving Jack a look then staring straight at Elliot asked, “You sick?” In a way that made it sound a lot more like a statement than a question. “No.” Looking back at Jack shaking his head, he released one of his arms only to press the back of his hand to Elliot’s forehead before he had time to react and dodge it.

“What was that about not being sick?” Again, trying to wiggle out of Spot’s grip, but the hand stayed firmly on his arm as he was forced back into his bed. “One would think that you had more control over your newsies, Kelly.” 

“He doesn’t,” Davey added from behind Jack. At that moment, Les walked in holding a bowl of warm soup and a cup of water, handing Elliot his food, and then stepping back a few feet. “Hey Les,” he said stage whispering, “can you use your cute baby face to get these idiots to let me sell? Please?” He said, using his best puppy eyes. “Nope, sorry can’t.” “Traitor.” “Who’s a traitor?” “Oh, good Race you are up, Spot can you try and get food into em’.” “Les is he won’t even try to convince these people to let me sell.” “Just rest, Elliot this is like only the second ‘sick day’ you have taken since you first became a newsie.”

“Oh, please that was because of an injury, I am perfectly capable of selling the last like twenty papers I have left and then I will come back and rest.”

“Nope,” Jack said bouncing over with way too much energy, seriously where do these people get so much energy. Taking a sip of water, Elliot resentfully put the food on the floor and laid back on the bed to take a nap, seeing as I had nothing better to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Sorry, I know it is short.  
> Have a good day.  
> Em


End file.
